Woman Waits 20 Hours in ER, Discovers Need for Urgent Surgery

UPDATE: A shocking case from Winnipeg underscores the urgent crisis in emergency healthcare as a woman waited over 20 hours in the emergency room before discovering she needed immediate surgery due to a life-threatening condition. Lori Stetina, 55, arrived by ambulance at Grace Hospital on July 3, 2025, experiencing severe health issues.

Stetina described her harrowing experience to CTV News, noting that when she arrived, she was not placed on a bed and immediately saw a crowded waiting area filled with patients, including vulnerable elderly individuals. “I was fearing for my life,” she said, recounting her frustration and confusion as she waited.

After being admitted at 5 a.m. on July 4, doctors informed Stetina that she had suffered a mild heart attack. “I was kind of shocked,” she recalled. Tests revealed that her condition was worse than expected; she faced an emergency surgery for a perforated bowel that had leaked into her abdomen. “I woke up to having 19 staples on my stomach,” Stetina recounted, highlighting the gravity of her situation.

The long wait times in Winnipeg’s emergency departments are not isolated incidents. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) acknowledged ongoing challenges in their emergency rooms, stating they are actively working on strategies to reduce wait times and improve patient care. A WRHA spokesperson mentioned initiatives such as increasing staffing and improving patient flow to address the critical situation.

Currently, emergency wait times remain high, with reports indicating waits of around 10 hours at St. Boniface Hospital and over 12 hours at Health Sciences Centre. Dr. Noam Katz, an emergency physician in Winnipeg, emphasized the dire state of healthcare, stating, “Wait times have ballooned significantly,” leading to poorer patient outcomes.

Healthcare advocates are sounding alarms as such stories become alarmingly common across Canada. Steven Staples, National Director of Policy and Advocacy with the Canadian Health Coalition, expressed concern over the persistent nature of these issues, urging for a shift toward a preventative healthcare model to reduce reliance on emergency services.

As this troubling situation continues to develop, the health authority’s efforts to improve patient care are under close scrutiny. Stetina’s experience is a stark reminder of the urgent need for healthcare reform and immediate action to address the overwhelming pressure on emergency departments.

The community now watches closely for any updates from the WRHA on their initiatives, hoping for significant improvements in the healthcare system.